University  of  California. 

FROM  THE    LIBRARY  OF 

Dr.  JOSEPH   LeCONTE. 

GIFT  OF  MRS.   LECONTE. 

Mo.      7  ^O 

LTlif 

VOCABULARY 


CATAWBA    LANGUAGE, 


WITH    SOME    REMARKS    ON 


ITS  'grammar,  construction  and  pronunciation. 


By  OSCAR  M.  LIEBER, 

State  Geologist  of  tfouth-Carohna. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

of  the  South-Carolina  Historical  Society,  Vol.  II.] 


CHARLESTON,     S.     C. 

JAMES      AND     WILLIAMS,      PRINTERS 

16    STATE-STREET. 
1858. 


K 


VOCA  HULA  RY 

OF   T!lK 

CATAWBA      LANGUAGE, 

WITH   SOME 

Remarks  on  its  Grammar,  Construction  and  Pronunciation. 
By     OSCAR     M.     LIEBER. 

Slate  Geologist  of  S.  O. 


During  part  of  the  year  1856,  I  had  as  a  camp-servant,  a 
Catawba  Indian  and  occasionally  amused  myself  in  the  even- 
ings, after  the  day's  field  duties  in  the  State  geological  survey  of 
South-Carolina  were  over,  by  noting  down  some  words  of  his 
language — a  linguistic  study  which  may  well  be  considered  par- 
donable only  as  a  recreation,  when  it  is  known  that  the  Catawba 
nation  at  present  numbers  but  fifty  human  beings,  men,  women 
and  children.  Nevertheless,  since  this  once  powerful  tribe  is  thus 
rapidly  passing  away,  owing  to  debauchery  and  disease — for 
they  have  always  been  on  amicable  terms  witfc  the  whites,  and 
the  rifles  of  the  latter  are  not  among  the  causes  of  extermination 
— there  may  be  those  to  whom  the  subject  may  not  appear 
unworthy  of  preservation.  I  am  informed  that  nothing  has  ever 
been  written  on  this  Indian  tongue,  and  there  may  be  a  period 
when  its  omission  might  be  regarded  with  regret  by  the  Ameri- 
can philologist. 

To  endeavor  to  lay  bare  all  the  intricate  labarynth  of  an  In- 
dian grammar  is  not  my  object.  All  that  I  propose  to  do,  is  to 
give  the  words  which  I  learnt,  to  point  out  some  perceptible 
derivations  of  words,  to  explain  their  pronunciation,  and  to  show 
the  little  that  it  was  possible  to  learn  regarding  the  gramma- 
tical construction  of  sentences. 

A  knowledge  of  other  Indian  languages  would  be  necessary 
to  point  out  the  more  important  features,  and  this  I  do  not 
possess.     The  difficulty  of  the  study  of  the  Catawba  is  increased 


4  THE    CATAWBA    LANC.UAC.E. 

by  the  fact,  that,  as  it  is  very  evident  in  some  instances,  many 
words  are  lost,  while  others  are  modified,  or  applied  to  other 
than  the  original  object,  by  constant  contact  with  so  different  a 
language  as  our  own.  An  instance  of  the  former  we  find  in  the 
word  co-ne-he-rlh,  good,  the  comparative  of  which  is  him-baar  me 
rah-e-deh,  and  the  superlative  him-baar  me-r'ih-K  r ,  for  now  they 
possess  no  word  him-baar  for  our  *'  good,"  although  we  still  find 
him-baar  or  him-bah  employed  as  the  affirmative,  "  yes." 

With  regard  to  the  conjugation  of  the  verbs,  two  prominent 
difficulties  exist  in  seeking  to  obtain  correct  information  in 
another  language  from  an  illiterate  person.  In  the  first  place, 
how  is  one  to  describe  to  him  the  present,  past  and  future?  Take 
for  instance  the  verb  to  kill.  "  I  kill "  is  di-guah,  but  how  do 
we  know  that  di-guah  may  not  mean  "  I  am  killing  ?"  Di-quan 
tareh  is  the  past;  but  whether  it  is  the  perfect  or  imperfect,  it  is 
difficult  to  say.  The  probability,  however,  is  that  tareh  means 
11  have  "  in  this  application,  and  that  this  is  therefore  the  perfect. 
The  imperative  is  d't-k'6-d-dlh;  but  it  would  rather  seem  from 
other  cases  that  da,  means  "  go,"  and  that  therefore  da-ko-d-dth 
signifies  "go  kill." 

As  a  rule,  it  appears  that  tareh  signifies  the  past,  and  horeh  the 
future,  though  in  some  verbs  as  in  de-tchahn-deh,  I  eat,  the  past 
is  irregular : — doo-tchahn-che-reh,  and  in  others  the  irregularity  is 
found  in  the  future,  dt-gua-wlih-sau-wd-rlh,  I  shall  kill,  and  da-s64- 
rechn-deh,  I  shall  play. 

I  generally  found  it  most  convenient  to  place  a  substantive 
with  the  verb,  s<fthat  the  sentence  would  appear  more  complete 
to  the  Indian.  Here  again,  however,  a  difficulty  occurred,  for  it 
is  customary  with  them  to  cut  up  words  most  barbarously,  and 
either  to  leave  a  part  of  it  only  to  indicate  its  presence  in  the 
sentence,  or  else  to  splice  the  mutilated  portion  into  it  in  the  most 
singular  way — not  unlike  the  German  in  fact.  As  an  instance  of 
the  former,  I  might  give  the  sentence:  "Da  wheet  haak-pang 
hctoeh,"  "  Go  saddle  the  horse;"  literally,  "  Go  horse  saddle  put." 
In  this  wheet  stands  for  wheetsanguayeh,  which  is  the  word  for 
horse,  and  huak-pang  for  haak^pdng-hay,  saddle. 

A  feature  which  appeared  to  me  very  singular,  is  the 
fact,  that  even  now  it  is  easy  to  perceive  the  derivation  of 
words,  and  these  are  not  those  alone  which  relate  to  new 
objects,  and  for  which,  since  the  appearance  of  the  whites, 
they  had  to  create  new  words,  like  the  Creek  word  tcholocco, 
horse,  from  tchoco,  deer,   and  locco,  large.     Thus  we  have  impo 


THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE.  O 

yatchah,  toe,  from  ihm-puh,  foot,  and  yatehah,  a  designation  which 
is  common  to  toe  and  finger,  for  finger  is  called  eek-sa-ya-tchah ,  f 
eek-sah  or  eek-seh  signifying  "  arm."  Eek-sleh  peh  is  tisskj  from  Or  eCtyt 
eek-seh,  arm,  and  pieh,  alone.  A  fine  instance  is  wat-kd-no-no-  ' 
saing-wi-M-r'di,  yellow,  from  wat-kd-nbh,  egg,  meaning  therefore 
egg-colored.  In  other  cases,  a  derivation*  is  not  so  manifest, 
although  also  discernable.  Thus  the  moon  is  termed  nuh-too- 
tcha-o-vjeh,  evidently  derived  from  7iuh-teh,  sun,  and  iveet-tcha-wah, 
night  or  darkness.  Strange  to  say,  star,  wapitnoh,  is  literally 
little  sky  or  skyling,  perhaps  child  of  the  sky.  for  sky  is  wapit, 
and  noh  is  the  diminutive,  as  tangseh,  dog;  tangsehnoh,  puppy; 
hopkeh,  cat;  hopkehnok,  kitten;  though  we  have  also  a  diminu- 
tive termination  nuh,  as  in  wtd-dd-hi-nuh,  calf,  from  wtd-dd-yah, 
cow.  Wuss-in-too-ta-heh,  dirt-dobber,  is  very  evidently  derived 
from  ivuss,  wasp,  and  ihn-toh,  clay,  while  with  equal  certainty  is 
weet-tchd-wdh-reh,  evening,  derived  from  weet-tcha-ivah,  night. 
Whether  or  not  the  bo-yeh  in  wi-db-b6-yeh,  a  deer,  may  have  re- 
ference to  the  root  of  the  word  for  gun,  (gun  being  termed  bo-heh) 
and  may  therefore  mean  the  animal  that  shoots  or  dashes  past,  I 
am  unable  to  say.  That  yai-tro-wah,  baby,  is  derived  from  i-til-rti- 
wah,  little,  is  self-evident,  and  it  is  also  very  plain  that  itarowah  is 
connected  with  taro,  large,  meaning,  indeed,  that  which  is  not 
large,  unlarge.  Thus  also  is  ugly,  conehaareh,  derived  from 
conehoreh,  good,  and  onehaareh,  not,  meaning  therefore  not  good, 
not  pretty.  Nepetoosehaapreh,  panther,  is  composed  of  tooseh, 
tail,  haapreh  long  and  nepe,  which  may  be  a  part  of  the  word  for 
beast — the  long-tailed  beast  therefore. 

For  many  simple  things  two  words  are  used,  as  rice,  gusseraak 
taaktseheh,  from  gusseraak,  wheat,  and  taaktcheh,  white ;  and  these 
should  not  be  mistaken  for  one  word,  difficult  as  it  is  to  find  out 
the  divisions  of  words. 

The  pronunciation  of  this  language  is  peculiar,  and  presents 
a  great  variety,  although  in  this  it  may  not  differ  from  other  In- 
dian tongues,  with  which,  as  already  remarked,  I  am  unacquaint- 
ed. Most  noticeable  to  me  appeared  the  nasal  sound  indicated 
by  italics  in  the  vocabulary  in  such  words  as  i-scang,  head;  tang- 
seh, dog;  scang-treh,  white  man;  scang-seh,  hair,  andwongh,  arrow; 
and  the  strong  German  gutteral  ch  as  in  heh-ich-s$-reh,  I  cook,  or 
coch-riih-hhr'eh,  I  go.  The  pronunciaticn  of  the  ch  in  these  two 
words  is,  however,  somewhat  different.  The  second  is  the  Ger- 
man sound  exactly;  the  first  is  spoken  more  through  the  nose, 
42 


6  THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 

but  is  by  far  the  most  common  of  the  two.  In  the  vocabulary 
this  is  spelt  with  a  simple  ch,  while  the  tch  sound  which  occurs 
in  our  word  "  cheese  "  is  indicated  by  tch  This  is  a  very  com- 
mon sound.  We  have  it  in  i-tch-ivth,  pine;  tri-tchiek-neh,  plum; 
ya-ivitch-tcha-hah,  girl,  and  a  great  number  of  other  words.  JST 
very  singular,  but  not  so  common  sound  is  that  heard  in  the  word 
he-hun,  screech-owl,  which  resembles  the  one  emitted  when  a  stone 
is  cast  into  water,  and  may  be  onomatopoetic  as  the  word  ichat- 
kue-yan-eh,  whip-poor-will,  certainly  is.  Besides  this  peculiar 
pronunciation  of  the  u,  we  have  a  short  u  as  in  cus,  corn,  pro- 
nounced precisely  like  the  German  u  kuss,"  and  the  broad  u  as 
in  sook,  house,  which  is  prolonged  more  than  in  the  English 
words  "  cook"  or  "book."  A  seems  to  be  the  only  other  vowel 
which  has  a  peculiar  pronunciation,  if  we  except  the  nasal  o  in 
wongh,  also  perhaps  onomatopoetic  in  reference  to  the  sound  of 
a  flying  arrow,  and  that  peculiar  prolonged  o  in  doiuote.  A  is 
frequently  pronounced  very  broad,  as  in  a-ge-raap,  they,  the  others, 
hob-kaat,  now;  haap,  up;  paak-saing,  rabbit.  The  sound  ai,  really 
a  passage  from  the  broad  a  to  e  is  rare,  but  occurs  for  example 
in  cai-yah,  turtle,  and  yaitrowah,  baby. 

One  might  suppose,  that  catching  the  sound  of  a  foreign  lan- 
guage would  be  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world,  but  the  fact  that 
foreign  accents  are  so  common  to  all  who  learn  a  new  language, 
proves  that  this  is  not  the  case.  In  a  tongue,  however, 
where  one  word  is  so  frequently  drawn  into  another,  this  is  pe- 
culiarly the  case.  By  making  my  Indian  tutor  repeat  his  words 
slowly,  I  sought  to  remedy  the  evil,  although  there  again  a  dif- 
ficulty arose;  for  he  having  been  accustomed  to  hear  them 
rapidly  spoken,  the  slow  pronunciation  appeared,  even  to  him, 
a  wrong  one.  In  English,  the  word  "been"  is  commonly  pro- 
nounced "bin,"  and  one,  who  had  only  heard  it  thus  rapidly  spo- 
ken and  did  not  know  its  orthography,  would  scarcely  be  able 
to  speak  it  slowly,  or,  if  he  did,  would  probably  make  it  sound 
like  "  binne."  I  need  scarcely  here  allude  to  the  additionally 
most  difficult  task  of  inventing  an  orthography  for  such  odd 
sounding  words  as  do-we-te,  wongh  or  he-hun,  when  description 
even  fails  to  explain  the  pronunciation. 

"We  will  now  proceed  to  the  vocabulary  in  which  it  will  be 
proper  to  make  such  divisions  only  as  will  separate  the  various 
parts  of  speech. 


THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


God,  wah-ro-weh. 
Devil,  (evil  spirit,)  yeh- 

tcheh. 
White  man,  scang-treh. 
Negro,  yeh-hoke-tcheh. 
Boy,  yeh-tcha-hah. 
Girl,  ya-wltch-tcha-hah, 
Baby,  ya i-tro- wal  1 . 
Father,  yeh-muh-seh-hah. 
Mother,  yak-suh. 
Son,  cur-rih-deh. 
Daughter,  e-no-wah. 
Wife,  yaa-ke-tcheh. 
Hand,  ike-seh  pl-eh. 
Foot,  ihm-piih. 
Finger,  eek-sa-ya-tcha. 
Toe,  im-po-ya-tcha. 
Head,  ihs-ska. 
Hair,  scang-seh. 
Tongue,  so-miis-eh. 
Eye,  1-too. 
Nose,  pmg-suh. 
Mouth,  ihs-so-muh. 
Thigh,  tus-sooh. 
Leg,  1-keh. 
Arm,  eek-sah. 
Heel,  l-tche-pit. 
Back,  e-re-tuck. 
Tail,  too-seh.* 
Side,  haak-peh. 
Middle,  dar-rang. 
Fist,  ik-so-w6h. 
Chin,  is-so-mo-ha-pls. 
Fat,  no-yank. 
Dog,  tang-seh. 
Cat,  hop-keh. 
Opossum,  wunk, 
Skunk,  ihn-sui. 
Screech-owl,  he-hun. 

*  Anus,  it-ta-chcr ;  flatus, 
fern,  ih-mi-tun. 


NOUNS. 

Man,  yehm-burt-tcheh. 
oo-ren-     Woman,  n'-yah. 

Indian,  ye-yeh. 

Mosquito,  tchi-wih-ha-uh. 

Bull,  ya-sid-imm^. 

Cow,  wid-da-yah. 

Calf,  wid-da-hi-muh. 

Fish,  yi-eh. 

Raccoon,  a-tchig-neh. 

Squirrel,  rjH-y&ng. 

Deer,  wl-do-bd-yeh. 

Bear,  ni-meh. 

Snake,  dah  or  yah. 

Frog,  'dY-ra-raing. 

Horse,  wheet-sangr-wa-yeh. 

Panther,  ne-pe-too-se-haa-preh. 

Rabbit,  paak-samgr. 
,  Darkness,  weet-tcha-her. 
s  Night,  weet-tcha-wah. 
,  Day,  ya-breh. 
.  Evening,  weet-tcha-wah-reh. 

•  Morning,  ya-ope. 
.Yesterday,  soon-dah. 

•  To-morrow,  ya-wer. 
•Sun,  nuh-teh. 

.  Moon,  niih-too-tcha-6-weh. 
Sky,  wa-pit. 
Star,  wa-pit-noh. 
Water,  yang-yeh* 
Fire,  im-peeh. 
Wind,  hi-yeh. 
Ice,  mo-hay. 
Frost,  wa-tah. 
Sand,  ya-wo-tah. 
Mud,  ma-nuh. 
Rock,  en-tih. 
Clay,  ihn-toh. 
River,  ihs-sivttng. 
Flower,  d'na-pa-sing-weh. 

na-pung  ;    partes  geaitale3  : — masc.    eh-yan  ; 


8 


THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


AYhip-poor-will,  wat-kue-yan-eh. 

Dirt  dobbcr,  wuss  in-too-ta-heh, 

Wasp,  wuss. 

Buffalo,  ya-daas. 

Turtle,  cai-ya. 

Grass,  sar-raak. 

*Chesnut,  yer-6-peh. 

^Hickory,  ohn-eh-kuh, 

*Plum,  tchick-neh. 

*Peach,  yeh. 

*Apple,  tcho-geh. 

Grape,  tchi-ri-tchah. 

Watermelon,  s6r-roh-beh. 

Victuals,  no-yang. 

Homini,  gush-shuh. 

Potatoe,  wit-te-keh. 

Sweet  potatoe,  wit-te-keh  tchoo- 

wah. 
Corn,  koos  (like  German kuss). 
Salt,  ttiss  (very  short). 
Gourd,  wa-deh. 


Fruit,  trill. 

Wood,  (also  tree)  l-ap. 

Pine,  itch-weli. 

Oak,  yab-yeh. 

Sassafrass,  gus-tii-peh, 

Rice,     gus-se-raak     taak-tcheh 

(literally  white  wheat). 
Egg,  wot-ka-noh. 
Mountain,  suck. 
Valley,  a-gua,  (like  Spanish  for 

water,  precisely.) 
House,  sook. 
Tent,  hab-ne]^irtlfceh. 
Knife,  sim-pah. 
Gun,  bo-heh. 
Enemy,  ate-koo-ni-wah. 
A  little  (of  something)  a-tcheh. 
Meat,  whid-yoh. 
Bread,  gustah. 
Saddle,  haak^a^-hay. 
Pipe,  wah-me-suh. 


Wheat,  giis-se-raak. 


PERSONAL. 


PRONOUNS. 


POSSESSIVE. 


I,  deh-reh. 

Thou,  yeh-yeh  or  yeh-teh. 

She,    J  d-wSr'  a"w°-kS- 

WTe,  do-wah,  do-wo-te   or  d6- 

wo-ke. 
You,     we-wer,  he-a-kan-e-her  or 

wi-a-kan-e-her. 
They,  a-ge-raap,  ( others, f)    I-a- 

kan-e-her. 


Mine,  deh-deh-e-deh. 
Thine,  yeh-yeh-e-deh. 
His,  our-e-he-deh. 
Her,  mni-yah,  or  n'-yah.J 
Our,  doh-wah. 
Your,  yeh-yeh-e-deh. 
Their,  ow-wah-eh. 

DEMONSTRATIVE  PRONOUNS. 

This,  ha-ree;  that,  coo-ree. 


INTERROGATIVES,    ADVERBS   AND    INDICATIVE    PRONOUNS. 

What,  ta-reh-teh.  Who,  toe-wen-teh. 

When,  tam-be-teh.  Whose,  taing-ke-ech-neh. 

Where,  ta-teh.  Why,  ta-nech-neh  or  ta-neck. 

*  When  iri  is  prefixed  to  these  it  denotes  the  fruit;  if  not,  the  tree  is  meant. 

f  Whether  there  is  really  a  distinct  word  for   "  they"  I  could  not  find  out, 
owing  to  the  difficulty  of  explaining  what  I  wanted. 

I  The  same  may  he  said  in  reference  to  "  her." 


THE    CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


NUMERALS. 

CARDINALLY 

18,  pitch-i-ne  na-po-sah  ock-sah. 

1, 

d'no-po-neh  or  ne^paing. 

19,  pitch-i-ne   want-tchah    ock- 

2, 

nao-preh. 

sah. 

3, 

nao-me-neh*. 

20,  pitch-i-nao-preh. 

4, 

par-6-preh. 

25,     pitch-i-nao  pock-treh     ock- 

5> 

pock-treh. 

sah. 

6, 

dip-creh. 

30,  pitch-i-nao-me-neh. 

% 

was-sig-nlu. 

40,  pitch-i-par-o-preh. 

8, 

na-po-sah. 

100,  pitch-i-haa-reh. 

9, 

want-tchah. 

102,     pitch-i-haa-reh     nao-preh 

10, 

pitch-i-neh. 

ock-sah. 

11, 

pitch-i-ne     fb^-paing  ock- 

200,  pitch-i-haa-reh  nao-preh. 

sah.* 

300,  pitch-i-haa-reh  nao-me-neh. 

12, 

pitch-i-ne  nao-preh   ock-sah. 

1000,  lp-si-ne-moy-eh. 

13, 

pitch-i-ne    nao-me-neh    ock- 

ORDIXALIA. 

sah. 

First,  a-raas-ke-he. 

14, 

pitch-i-ne     par-6-preh    ock- 

Second,  de-keh-he. 

sah. 

Third,  doo-ga-re-he. 

15, 

pitch-i-ne      pock-treh     ock- 

The    cardinal    numbers    are 

sah. 

used  for  all  the  following   ordi- 

16, 

pitch-i-ne  dip-creh   ock-sah. 

nal  numbers. 

If, 

pitch-i-ne  was-sig-niu   och- 
sah. 

ADJECTIVES. 

All,  cti-nihp. 

Good,  co-ne-ho-reh. 

Bad,  im-bar-rah. 

Little,    i-ta-ro-wah,    ta-ro-ha 

tunher. 
Large,  ta-roh,  pot-ki-he-reh. 
Old,  ihs-saing-deh. 
Young,  ih-w6hl-deh. 
Dead,  lh-wah-e-reh. 
High,  haf-meh. 

Short,  low,  mun-eh-ki-sa-e-reh 
Dirty,  tchi-6-we-he-de. 
Clean,  trap-he-de-deh. 
Strong,  lh-meh-roh. 
Sour,  hlt-tah. 


Live,  ih-wahn-ah,  also  alive,  adv. 
Lean,  sab-meh. 
Fat,  noh-oh-tchoh-deh,  m-doh. 
or     Black,  a-woke-kah. 
Green,  ya-hah. 
Blue,  why-an-ka-reh. 
Yellow,     wat-ka-no-no-sa^gr-wi- 

he-reh  (egg-coloured.) 
White,   taak-tche  or   ihm-taak- 

tche. 
Hot,  wah-ro-pa-reh. 
Cold,  tching-her. 
Pretty,  tor-he-reh. 
Long,  haa-preh. 


Ugly,  co-ne-haa-reh. 
Ock-sah  may  mean  "  and"  though  otherwise  not  used. 


10 


THE    CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


Sweet,  l-tcho-wah. 
Broken,  cat-her. 


Dark,  a-werk-tchi-reh. 
Inside,  da-tuc-coh. 

ADVERBS,  &c. 
Well,    wan-tchach-ma-hi-de-deh.     Slow,  ivmig-se-r'ih. 
Much,  e-so-wong. 
More,    me-raa-e-deh,    most,    me- 

raa-her. 
As  much  as,  6ke-se-ran-her. 
Perhaps,  ohn-e-tcheh. 
Almost,  oh-ne-reh-de-reh,   or  6h- 

ne-reh-de-deh. 


Always,  oh-ni-na^pain^-rah. 

Sometimes,  ku-rape. 

Back,  no-imn^-stih-he-reh. 

Either,  or,  haateh-haateh, 

Other,  her-ech-neh. 

Painful,  d'ne-pa-ha-ya-geh,  (lit- 
terally  "  it  pains.") 

Yes,  him-bah,  (probably  origi- 
nally meaning  "  good," 
"  well,"  "  all  right,"  and  is 
the  source  of  the  him-baar 
in  the  comparative  and 
superlative  of  conehoreh.) 

No,  6-haa-reh. 

Fast,  quick,  baa-neh. 


Rather,  tolerable,  cu-ni-he-reh, 
or  o-ke-ru-mich-her. 

Soon,  ut-ka-nah. 

Down,  huk. 

Up,  haap. 

Enough,  plenty,  s'tcho-yea-e-reh. 

Alone,  pi-eh. 

Drunk,  ya-aing-sah. 

Sleepy,  ih-mer-rer. 

But,  6-ne-kan. 

Not,  6-ne-haa-reh,  (from  6-haa- 
reh.) 

After  or  afterwards,  de-tah. 

Right,  ihk-saam-beh. 

Left,  'it-chehd-kut-tcheh. 

Near,  ha-ynt,  a-kih. 

Our,  t&v-rang  (also  outside,)  to- 
rang. 

Far,  ut-ka-neh. 

Beyond,  a-tchid-tick. 

This  side  of,  ha-miht-coh. 


VERBS. 


I  have,  ta-reh. 

I  work,  do-rihs-se-deh. 

I  play,  ih-so-weh,  or  do-so-weh. 

I  eat,  de-tchan-deh. 

I  drink,  cur-riih-so-deh. 

I  ride,  sag-na-te-deh. 

I  walk,  you-wah-so-deh. 

I  wash,  ne-po-nep-ko  ta-reh. 

I  smoke,  po-ke-su-deh. 

I  sleep,  na-mo-reh. 

I  am  awake,  da-ta-re-deh. 

I  fish,  ih-tchdng-so-reh. 

I  hunt,  p'no-po-tchar-eh. 


I  hide,  we-riih-so-deh. 
I  bite,  tchuhk-sa-reh. 
I  dig,  n'dah-ha-reh. 
I  laugh,  ha-ha-se-reh. 
I  cry,  6-waih-se-reh. 
I  whip,  je-ha-do-reh. 
I  kiss,  so-mo-tchoh-so-reh. 
I  talk,  neen-daa-se-reh. 
I  cook,  he-ich-se-reh. 
I  make,  na-cat-tche-reh. 
I  smell,  hakes-se-reh. 
I  run,  (after  someting,)  I  chase, 
doh-trahn-deh. 


THE    CATAWBA   LANGUAGE.  11 

I  love,  ne-mo-sah.  I  copulate,  yag-na-te-deh. 

I  see,  da-ne-reh.  I  cough,  e-he-peh-reh. 

I  run,  tchi-rik-se-deh.  I  sneeze,  ha-o-pe-sln-peh-reh. 

I  jump,  ivang-so-deh.  I  whistle,  6-wim-ser-eh. 

I  shoot,  boh-so-deh.  I  wish,  6-na-neh. 

I  kill,  dlg-wa-reh.  I  smell,    (emit   an  odor,)    sun- 

I  feel,  de-tchih-seh.  web;  (sunwerch,  it  smells). 

I  want,  na-mu-re-reh.  I  take,  tchoo-ruh-hoo-deh. 

I  bring',  do-hoh-neh.  I  go,  coch-ruh-e-reh,  do-tcheh,  or 

I  break,  cat-se-reh.  co-der-he-ray. 

I  marry,  ne-hu-ne-e-reh.  I  catch,  wheep-se-reh. 

PREPOSITIONS. 
In,  da-took-coh,  or  da-took.  Under,  or  below,  a-ko-per,  huk 

Through,  mo-se-reh-ter.  (also  adv.) 

Above,  nihn-daak,  (also  adv.)        By,  a-keh,  aak-pe-sah,  (meaning 
On,  taak-sah.  "by  the    side    of,")    (also 

Over,  hi-aak,  ha-put.  adv.) 

As  already  remarked,  it  is  very  difficult  to  discover  the  rules 
for  conjugating  the  verbs,  although  with  the  assistance  of  the 
irregularly  used  auxiliary,  a  regular  conjugation  may  be  made 
which  is  intelligible  to  the  Catawbas  themselves.  To  discover 
any  hidden  rules  in  the  correct  conjugation,  where  such  a  mere 
handful  of  words  is  known,  is  almost  impossible.  Without  there- 
fore premising  any  further  remarks,  I  shall  give  the  conjugations 
of  several  verbs,  some  of  them  with  substantives,  as  I  heard 
them  from  my  Indian  instructor. 

VERB:  I  LOVE,  ne-mo-sah,  (wife,  yaa-ke-tckeh.) 

PRESENT. 

I  love  my  wife,  yaaketcheh  dedeh  nemosah,  or  yaa-de-ke-tcheh 

nemos  ah. 
Thou  lovest  thy  wife,  yaaketcheh  yehyeh  yemosah,  or  yaa-ye-ke- 

tcheh  yemosah. 
He  loves  his  wife,  awer  yaaketcheh  mosah. 
We  love  our  wives,  dowote  yaaheketcheh  hamesahreh. 
You  love  your  wives,  wewer  yaaweketcheh  womosahreh. 
They  love  their  wives,  ageraap  yaaketcheh  mosahrch. 

PAST. 

I  loved  my  wife,   yaaketcheh  (dedeh *may  be  omitted  here,)  na- 
mosah  tareh. 


12  THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 

Thou  lovedst  thy  wife,  yaaketcheh  (yehyeh)  yamosah  tareh. 
He  loved  bis  wife,  awer  yaaketcheh  mosah  tareh. 
We  loved  our  wives,  dowote  yaaheketcheh  hamosah  tareh. 
You. loved  your  wives,  wewer  yaaweketcheh  womosah  tareh. 
They  loved  their  wives,  ageraap  yaaketcheh  mosah  tareh. 

FUTURE. 

I  shall  love  my  wife,  yaaneketcheh  namosah  horeh. 

Tbou  wilt  love  thy  wife,  yehteh  or  yehyeh  yaaheketcheh  yajmosah 

horeh. 
He  will  love  his  wife,  awer  yaaheketcheh  mosah  horeh. 
We  shall  love  our  wives,  dowote  yaaheketcheh   hamosah  horeh. 
You  will  love  your  wife,  wewer  yaaweketcheh  womosah  horeh. 
They  will  love  their  wives,  ageraap  yaaketcheh  mosafi  horeh. 

IMPERATIVE.. 

Love  your  (or  thy)  wife,  mosadeh  yaaheketcheh  ! 

PARTICIPLES. 

Loving,  mosahreh. 
Beloved,  nemosahyeehereh. 

Here  therefore  we  have  a  very  simple  conjugation  in  which 
the  auxiliary  "  tareh"  is  regularly  used.  Whether  its  use  is  only 
of  later  origin  and  similar  to  that  of  the  Latin  auxiliary,  with 
the  lower  classes  of  Romans  at  later  periods,  as  Niebuhr  has 
shown,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  With  the  two  following  verbs, 
the  auxiliary  is  partially  employed  in  the  past  and  not  at  all  in 
the  future. 

VERB:  Digua,  I  KILL. 

present.  He  has  killed,  cawan  tareh. 

I  kill,  digua.  We  have  killed,  dowoke  higuan 

Thou  killest,  igua.  tareh. 

He  kills,  a-u-a*-cow-a-reh.  You   have   killed,    heakaneher 

We  kill,  dowoke  higuareh.  higuareh. 

You  kill,  wewoke  weguadeh.  They    have    killed,    iakaneher 

They  kill,  aguarauph  (ageraap)  iguareh. 

iguadeh.  future. 

past.  I  shall     kill,    digua    wahsau- 

I  have  killed,  diguan  tareh.  wareh. 

Thou   hast    killed,    dehrehmeh  Thou  wilt  kill,  yegua-ereh. ' 

diguareh. 

*  Perhaps  this  a-ua  means  awer. 


THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


13 


Ho  will  kill,  ca-wadeh. 
We  shall  kill,  diguaredeh. 
You  will  kill,  weguadeh. 
They  will  kill,  iakaneher  igita- 
nareh. 


IMPERATIVE. 

Kill  !  dakoadeh. 

PARTICIPLE. 

Killed,  igua  heuncooreh. 


VERB  :  ih-sb-wih,  I  PLAY. 


PRESENT. 

I  play,  ihsowoh. 
Thou  playest,   awoka  hisuideh. 
He  plays,  hisuideh. 
We  play,  hasuireh. 
You  play,  wasowichnuh. 
They    play,    wasowichnuh    or 
iakaneher  suichnuh. 

PAST. 

I  have  played,  dasuin  tareh. 
Thou  hast  played,  dapaing  sui- 

deh. 
He  has  played,  yasuin  tadoh. 
We  have  played,   dowoka  ha- 

suich  hereh. 
You  have  played,   heakaneher 

siiieh  hereh. 


They  have   played,    iakaneher 
suich  hereh. 

FUTURE. 

I  shall  play,  dasui  rechdeh. 
Thou  wilt  play,  wassui"  rechneh. 
He    will    play,    awoka     suich 

hereh. 
We  shall  play,    hiacaneasuich 

hereh. 
You  will  play,  wiakanehcr  was- 

suich  rechndoh. 
They  will  play,   wewer  wassui 

rechn-doh. 

IMPERATIVE. 

Play,  wassui ! 


In  the  following  verb  the  auxiliary  is  not  used  in  the  past,  but 
we  find  it  in  the  first  person  singular  of  the  future. 

VERB  :  Dl-tchan-dlh,  I  EAT. 


PRESENT. 

I  eat,  detchandeh. 
Thou  eatest,  yeyey  detchandeh. 
He  eats,  awer  dorandoh. 
We  eat,   dowoke  dochahn   he- 
reh. 
You  eat,  wewer  ye-doyandoh. 
They  eat,  awoka  noyanchereh. 

PAST. 

I  have  eaten,  doo  tchanchereh. 
Thou  hast  eaten,   yedopendoh 
rahn-deh. 
43 


He  has  eaten,  odoran  tadeh. 
We  have  eaten,  dowote  handeh. 
You  have  eaten,  wewer  dohwo- 

yango-wichnuh.. 
They  have   eaten,  dowe  yahn- 

doh. 

FUTURE. 

I  shall  eat,  dochan  horeh. 
Thou  wilt  eat,  dorandeh. 
He  will  eat,  doyanredoh. 
We  shall  eat,  dowoke  dochahn 
hereh. 


14  THE   CATAWBA  LANGUAGE, 

You  will  eat,   wiakaneher  do-  imperative* 

yan  wichdoh.  Eat,  dorandeh. 

They   will  eat,    awoka  noyan  participles, 

rech-neh.  Eating,  noyang. 

Eaten,  yanecheh. 

Many  of  the  apparent  irregularities  are  probably  ascribable  to 
the  separation  of  words  and  the  transposition  of  the  syllables. 
Another  cause  may  be  the  ease  with  which  they  replace  one  con- 
sonant by  another,  a  fact  which  the  reader  cannot  have  failed  to 
observe  upon  various  occasions.  That  vowels  alone  should  ac- 
quire any  importance  in  the  language,  which  is  spoken  without 
moving  the  lips  perceptibly  on  any  occasion,  is  very  natural.  All 
the  labial  sounds  are  lost  or  at  least  subdtied,  and  gutterals  or 
nasal  sounds  alone  remain. 

The  suppression  of  syllables,  to  which  I  have  already  once 
had  occasion  to  allude,  is  also  a  potent  cause  for  apparent  irre- 
gularity in  the  conjugation  of  verbs.  The  terminations  rehi  deh, 
neh,  seh,  perhaps  might  more  properly  be  termed  appendages  of 
words,  added  for  the  purpose  only  of  giving  that  peculiar  Indian 
aspirative  ending.  These  are  therefore  very  generally  dropped 
when  another  word  follows.  We  have  an  instance  in  the  follow* 
ing  regular  verb  wheepseh,  I  catch  in  the  first  person  singular  of 
the  future,  the  imperative  and  the  participle. 

VERS:  wheep-seh,  I  catch,  (paak-saing,  rabbit). 

Present. 
I  catch  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  (dedeh)  wheepseh  or  wheepsereh. 
Thou  catchest  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  yehyeh  wheepseh. 
He  catches  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  awer  wheepseh, 

&c.  &c  &c. 

Past. 
I  caught  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  wheepseh  tanreh  (or  tareh) . 

Future. 
I  shall  catch  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  whoops'  horeh. 

Imperative. 
Catch  a  rabbit,  paaksaing  wheep-handeh, 

Participle. 
Caught,  whcep-ihrch. 


THE   CATAWBA  LANGUAGE. 


15 


The  "  ihreli  "  of  the  participle  wheep-ihreh  is  evidently  the 
same  as  "yeehereh"  in  the  past  participle  of  the  verb  nemosah, 
nemosahyeehereh.  Indeed,  but  little  distinction  can  be  drawn 
between  the  two  when  pronounced  by  an  Indian  mouth.  That 
the  two  verbs,  although  both  regular,  do  not  agree  in  the  impera- 
tive is  not  surprising. 

Of  an  approach  to  a  declension  I  have  not  been  able  to  per- 
ceive any  thing  in  the  Catawba  language.  The  yaaheketcheh  and 
yaaweketcheh  used  for  yaaketcheh  in  the  first  and  second  persons 
plural  of  the  sentence  yaaketcheh  dedeh  nemosah  has  nothing  to 
do  with  declining,  for  we  find  it  omitted  in  the  third  person  plu- 
ral. Besides  it  is  different  in  the  two  persons,  and  corresponds 
with  the  yaadeketcheh  and  yaayeketcheh  sometimes  used  in  the 
first  and  second  persons  singular  of  the  present  tense.  The  in- 
sertion of  the  syllables  de,  ye,  he,  and  we,  have  no  connection  with 
any  thing  but  the  persons  of  the  verb,  in  other  words  only  with 
dedeh,  yeyey,  do-mote  and  wewer. 

The  comparisons  are  very  regular,  and  are  always  made  by 
the  addition  of  the  adverbs  more,  me-raaedeh  and  most,  meraaher. 
The  only  irregular  adjective  that  I  am  acquainted  with  is  cone- 
horeh,  already  mentioned.     The  following  are  examples: 


Good,  Better, 

Conehoreh,  himbaar  meraaedeh, 

Bad,  Worse, 

Imbarrah,  imbarrah  meraaedeh, 

Large,  Larger, 

Taro,  taro  meraaedeh, 

Small,  Smaller, 

Tunher  or,  tunher  meraaedeh, 

Taroha,  taroha  meraaedeh, 

Sour,  Sourer, 

Hittah,  hittah  meraaedeh, 

A  few  sentences  may  suitably  close  these  brief  observations 
on  the  Catawba  language;  but  it  will  be  proper  first  to  point  out 
the  ordinary  form  of  the  interrogative,  although  this  is  by  no 
means  regular.  The  most  regular  form  appears  to  be  in  chang- 
ing the  ending  into  neh.  Thus,  "  he  has  eaten  bread  n  is  "  gustah 
nachereh,"  while  "  has  he  eaten  bread  ?"  is  "  gustah  nacheneh  ?" 
"  I  am  making  pipes,"  is  "  wamesuh  taasaaereh,"  and  "  am  I 
making  pipes  ?"  is  "  wamesuh  taasaaeneh  ?"     "  You  have  killed 


Best, 
himbaar  meraaher. 

Worst, 
imbarrah  meraaher. 
Largest, 
taro  meraaher. 
Smallest, 
tunher  meraaher. 
taroha   meraaher. 

Sourest, 
hittah  meraaher. 


16 


THE   CATAWBA   LANGUAGE. 


a  frog","  is  "  arraraing  diguadeh 
is  "  arraraing  diguaneh  ?" 
How  do  you  do  this  morning  ? 
How  do  you  do  this  evening  ? 
Pretty  well, 
Come  here  ! 
What  do  you  say  ? 
Whose  knife  (is  this  ?) 
I  take  (it.) 

Go,  saddle  the  horse  ! 
Make  homini  ! 
Cook  homini  ! 
Make  (me)  a  pipe  ! 
Go  away ! 
Go  out ! 
I  dont  know. 
This   dog1  is 
other, 


as   large   as   the 


This  woman  is  as  good  as  that, 


This  knife  is  almost  as  long  as 
my  arm, 


I  was  near   going   back, 
most  went  back, 


Ial- 


The  little  horse  is  fat,  but  the 
large  horse  is  not. 


If   the     little     horse     is     fat, 


"  but  "  have  you  killed  a  frog?" 

Yaope  tine-eye-doh  ? 
Weet-tchawahreh  tine-eye-doh  ? 
Conehedeh. 
Codeh  ! 

~Doraing  yachneh  ? 
Tainkeh  simpah  echneh.* 
Tchooruhoodeh  ! 
Da  wheet  haak  pang  hadeh. 
Gusshuh  catchadeh  ! 
Gusshuh  hiricheneh  ! 
Wahmesuh  catchanehmdeh  ! 
D'ni-tarah  ! 
To7,ang  cootchedeh  ! 
Borry  sahrreh. 

Tangseh.  hereh  taro  okeseranher 
dog      this  large  as  much  as 
herchneh. 
other. 
N'yah  hereh  conehoreh   cooree 
woman  this         good         that 
okeseranher. 
as  much. 
Simpah  hereh         haapreh 

knife  this  long 

ohneredereh     okeseranher 
almost  as  much  as 

eksah  dedeh. 
arm      my. 
Cochruhhereh  tareh  nowangsuh- 
I  go  have         back 

ereh  ohnerededeh. 
almost. 
Wheet  itarowah  indoh,  onekan 
horse       little         fat,         but 
wheet  taro  onehaareh. 
horse  large         not. 
Wheet      itarowah      indoh-teh, 
horse  little  fat     if 


This  is  a  fine  instance  of  the  severing  of  words,  tainkehechneh  meaning  whose 


THE  CATAWBA  LANGUAGE. 


17 


why 
not? 


love 
than 


is 


the    large    horse 


my       dog       more 
he   loves  his  wife. 


At  first  I  did  not  love  my  wife, 
but  afterwards  I  loved  her 
almost    as   much   as   you 


toechneh  wheet  taro   one- 
why         horse  large 
haareh  ? 
not. 
Tang&ch    deh    meraaedeh     ne- 
dog         my         more  I 

mosah     awer      yaaketche 

love        he  wife 

mosah. 
loves. 
Araaskehe 
first 
mosah 
love 
detah 


yaaketcheh      ne- 

wife  I  1 

oneliaareh     tareh 

not  did 

onekan      namosah 
afterwards  but  I  love 

love  yours,  tareh  yeyeh  yamosah  one- 

did     yours   you  love 
rededeh    okeseranher. 
almost      as  much  as. 
This  would  be  correct,   but  the   following   would  be  the  same 
more  idiomatically  expressed, 

Araskehe      yaaneketcheh     ne- 
first  wife  I 

mosah  saatankan  hookaat 
9  love    have  not  (?)  now 
nemos  ah  teh  yehyeh  okeseran- 
I  love      you        as  much 
her. 
as. 

In  closing  these  remarks,  I  feel  as  if  erecting  somewhat  of  a 
posthumous  monument  to  this  Indian  tongue,  for  the  rapid  pro- 
gress of  mortality  will  soon  sweep  away  the  sparse  remnant  of 
the  tribe — a  singular  instance  of  the  inability  of  the  red  race  to 
continue  prosperous  in  the  presence  of  the  whites,  even  when  in 
a  state  of  amity  ;  for  no  instance  is  on  record  of  the  Catawbas, 
having  taken  up  arms  against  us.  On  the  contrary,  during  the  re- 
volution, when  they  were  a  powerful  tribe  and  could  muster  many 
warriors,  they  assisted  the  South-Carolina  troops  to  the  best  of 
their  ability.     And  yet,  poor  fellows,  a  generation  more  and  they 


18  THE   CATAWBA  LANGUAGE. 

and  their  language  will  be  among  the  things  that  were.  It  can- 
not fail  to  surprise  us  that,  dwindling  away  as  they  do  so  per- 
ceptibly, their  peculiar  tongue  should  still  have  been  preserved. 
Even  now,  however,  their  papooses  learn  no  English  until 
they  arrive  at  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve,  and  I  found  stout  boys 
and  girls  who  did  not  even  understand  a  word.  Nevertheless 
the  present  adults  are  conscious  of  having  lost  many  words  and 
frequently  tell  you  that :  "The  old  ones,  (now  dead,)  knowed  a 
heap  more." 

In  conclusion,  I  would  respectfully  solicit  some  indulgence  for 
the  hasty  manner  in  which  this  article  was  penned.  The  tent 
was  my  study  at  the  time.  But  possibly  the  sylvan  camp  was 
really  the  most  suitable  spot  in  which  to  write  these  brief  notes 
on  the  language  of  an  Indian  tribe,  once  perhaps  the  most  pow- 
erful in  South-Carolina,  now  represented  only  by  a  few  families, 
and  soon  to  be  obliterated  entirely.  It  is  not  only  a  dead  lan- 
guage, but  a  language  of  the  dead. 


xx 


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